There are lots of strategies for memorizing vocabulary, and not everyone prefers the same ones. I usually try to visualize something associated with the word, like you mentioned. It works especially well when the associations are funny. Some other ideas: Memorize words in context (with a sentence for each word) Write a story using the words in the list Use flashcards Use a spaced-repetition software, such as Anki or Memrise Put the words in a song There are lots of articles about this on the internet if you want more ideas.